PMM Help: Commuting to School in BC from U.S.

[NeedleArtist]

I am a U.S. citizen. Can I commute to university in BC (Douglas College or Simon Fraser U.)? I'd be attending school full-time, but livig (spending all nights) at home in NW Washington. Would I need a student visa? If I attend for 2 years full-time and receive a Diploma, would I qualify for CEC?

 

[BCguy]

Re: Commuting to School in BC from U.S.

This is complex for me,Can i suggest adding PMM help to the Subject line

 

[Leon]

Re: Commuting to School in BC from U.S.

Yeah, it's complicated. You are not living in Canada so maybe you don't need a student visa but if you don't need student visa, you probably wont qualify for CEC.

 

[NeedleArtist]

Re: Commuting to School in BC from U.S.

This is complex for me,Can i suggest adding PMM help to the Subject line

I'm not sure how to go about editing the topic/subject line. Can you help me out please?

 

[NeedleArtist]

Re: PMM HELP

Go to your original post and you will see modify on the top right hand side. click on that and try to change the subject line.
or start a new topic.

Done. Thanks for the help.

 

[NeedleArtist]

Re: Commuting to School in BC from U.S.

In most countries, one must be a resident or have student visa to even register at a university. So for example, people from EU who are on the US visa waiver program still need a student visa. The university checks to make sure the person is a citizen, PR , etc or on a student visa. At least that is my understanding for students here in US. I presume Canada is not that different when it comes to student visa and registration.

I'm certainly not averse to requesting a student visa if its required. It's just that I don't know if I'd be "violating" any terms/requirements of such a visa if I don't ever actually "reside" in country. As my penultimate goal is PR and Canadian citizenship, I'll do whatever is necessary, to include taking up temp residency in BC if needed, in order to achieve that goal. Speaking plainly, I really have no desire to go to school, am only doing so because CEC seems like the quickest route to that end. I'm 50 years old and retired. I have guaranteed lifelong income of $9000+ monthly, regardless of whether I remain in U.S. or live in Canada. If going to school for 2 years and then working for one year in the skill I receive a diploma in is what it takes, then it's a small price to pay. Ideally, I'd like to only commute tio school initially (3-4 months or so), then make a "permanent" move to BC and buy a house, but I'm afraid that if I do so (and sell our U.S. house), then CIC would no longer think I have significant ties to home here in U.S. I know there are no prohibitions to buying a house in CA ... that I can be a "seasonal" resident. What confuses me the most, I guess, is that by going the student visa route (with intent to apply PR by CEC afterward) one is essentially stating an intent to remain permanently in Canada, which completely contradicts an intent to only remain in Canada temporarily. How can one honestly state both?

 

[Leon]

For a student CEC, you actually need to work for a year too after finishing your two year degree. If you go through BC PNP, you would need your degree plus a job offer. If you do a skilled worker PNP, you need only a job offer and an employer who will apply for you. If you go the student route, you also qualify to apply for FSW after one year if you have 67 or more points.

 

[NeedleArtist]

For a student CEC, you actually need to work for a year too after finishing your two year degree. If you go through BC PNP, you would need your degree plus a job offer. If you do a skilled worker PNP, you need only a job offer and an employer who will apply for you. If you go the student route, you also qualify to apply for FSW after one year if you have 67 or more points.

Thanks for the info, Leon. Yeah, I know I'll have to work for one year. as well. I figure I'll study something that 1) interests me anyway, and 2) will virtually guarantee me a job upon graduating (maybe something in the healthcare realm). It'll be quite a change for me as I've spent my whole life in the military (specifically in intelligence as a counterterrorism analyst and german/russian interrogator). I don't have a formal degree and my job history doesn't translate well into a civilian equivalent. Under FSW, I have 65 to 69 points, depending on how CIC decides. Additionally, beginning in Feb 2009 I lose 2 age points every year. So this seems like the quickest and surest way of achieving PR for me. Thankfully, the military/VA will be my schooling costs, even outside the U.S.! Additionally, the way I understand it, if I get student visa apprioval, I can essentially move to BC immediately thereafter and never have to lerave again (again, assuming I finish up a two-year prgram, then work silled for a year), whereas under FSW I'd have to wait for approval of PR status prior to moving. My real concern is that due to my age, they won't consider me a bonafide student. I've already spoken with the admissions folks at FSU and Douglass and they have programs set up especially for us old geezers!

 

[Leon]

If you go for the student thing, you can move to BC on your student visa and after 1 year in Canada apply for FSW. You wouldn't have to qualify to be one of the 38 occupations if you have lived in Canada for a year. Since you seem to have the gift of languages, you could use the year to study French on the side and increase your points. This way, you could get PR faster than by CEC because you could have an application in under the new rules 2 years earlier than you could have an application in under CEC. Just an idea.

 

[NeedleArtist]

Leon, are you certain that attending school under student visa for a year counts as "living" in Canada for purposes of FSW application? I realize your much more knowlegeable than I am about these matters, and I'm certainly not trying to second-guess you. On another note, the Army forced me to learn Russian, and German is my 1st language (immigrated to U.S. in 1965 from Germany and became U.S. citizen in 1972) and I'd just as soon shoot myself as learn still aniother language! (particularly at 50!) But thanks for the ideas, and keep em' coming if you can think of any other potentially usefull bits of info.

 

[Leon]

If you were actually living in Canada, yes. I'm not really sure about your plan. On one hand you are saying you want to commute and on the other you are saying that a student visa will allow you to move to BC right away.

To find out about the need for student visa, requirements for CEC, year in Canada for FSW etc. you could call the CIC call centre next time you are in Canada because the number apparently only works from within.

 

[eduardoF]

NeedleArtist,

I don't know what's motivating you to move to Canada, but if your sole intention is to leave the US, then may I suggest you look for other, easier opportunities?

For example, as a retiree with a guaranteed income of $9000, you're elegible to permanent residence in Brazil - that's pretty much all you need:to be retired, to be over 50, and to have more than $2000/month.

And let me tell you: with your income, you'd easily be one of the richest people in wherever you decide to live. :-D

 

[PMM]

Hi

If residency is a requirement (which i dont know if it is or not), then you could take up residence in Canada like renting a room but travel to WA everyday and stay in your real residence in the US.

The OP needs a study permit, but there is nothing stopping him from commuting every day. Hundreds of students do it both way. Get a NEXUS card so you aren't spending hours in the line up on busy days.

PMM

 

[BCguy]

There you go Welcome to our Province

 

[eduardoF]

I think the main question was not about the commuting itself, but about whether by not residing in Canada he would still be elegible for CEC...